How to Cook Great Steak (No Grill Required)

I recently learned that cooking a great steak is deceivingly easy. It requires almost no prep time, less and five ingredients and your undivided attention.

Lucky for me, five Christmas’ ago, I received a cast iron pan that I am finally able to put to good use. Lucky for both you and me, Puff ‘n Stuff Catering’s Orlando Executive Chef, Jason Pepin recently filmed a short video graciously outline the simple steps to cooking a great steak.

Cooking Steps

Leave the steak out for about 30 minutes to allow it to come to room temperature

Pat dry with paper towel and season both sides liberally with salt and black pepper

Pre heat the heaviest pan you own until very hot and add canola oil

Carefully add steak and cook for two to three minutes on each side

Cooking Duration

Chef Jason recommends three to five minutes per side for medium-rare, but did mention that this is a personal choice. Below are cooking temperatures to help determine ‘doneness,’ but all that matters is that you cook the steak to your liking:

Rare: Remove from the heat at 125°F, about six minutes total cooking

Medium-rare: Remove from the heat at 130°F, about eight minutes total cooking

Medium: Remove at 140°F, about nine to 10 minutes cooking

Well-done steak will take roughly 12 minutes

Added Flavor

In the video, Chef Jason finishes the steak by infusing garlic and rosemary. To do this, melt a tablespoon of butter (in the same pan); add some crush bulbs of garlic and fresh rosemary. Continue to cook the steak for about a minute on each side.

Rest and Cut

Definitely the hardest part of about this recipe is waiting until the steak has cooled slightly. This takes about three to five minutes and is important, because this allows the juices to settle, thereby ensuring that every bit is a little slice of heaven. Once the never-ending wait is over, simply cut the steak on a bias (a.k.a. across the grain) with a sharp knife. Cutting the steak across the grain makes the steak tenderer because this shortens the meat fibers.